this Decree concerning the Kingdome of the Son fully according to the due import of A Declaration in the eares of the whole world yea that the Kings and Judges of the earth may heare and feare and tremble If men or Devils in men besmear them with the spurious conceptions of their owne filthy hearts what matters it They have the pure water of the word at hand to wash off all that dirt It 's the work of Christ in this day of his fathers love I will declare the Decree that which he will doe by his body his Mysticall Members and men cannot duely nor rightly charge his holy ones with sin or folly in this their obedience to their Lord It 's the work of Christ to declare it in Sion by his spirit and it 's the work of Sion as the Instrument in his hand to declare it againe to the world in opposition to the Kings and Rulers thereof in their usurpations upon the Royall interest and Prerogative of Jesus King of Sion 3 That this Declaration is published in the time of the fathers wrath neither is this expression of the Sons love without some tokens of displeasure The world and the powers thereof have so slighted trampled upon and provoked the Son as he will not speak one word for them to plead their cause with his father but by his silence suffers his fathers wrath to break forth speaking to them in wrath and vexing them in his sore displeasure The father having by his Almighty power set his King on Sion and he being ready to over-run the world with the execution of his fathers just displeasure his heart being tender his bowels rowle within him towards poore sinners he must declare the Decree with an Exhortation if now at last they will come in submit to him and he will blesse them yet it 's very hasty and ends with the harsh sound of a threating in case of a non-sudden-acceptance there 's a tang of the fathers wrath and the Sons provoked displeasure goes along with it the clearest sun-shine of this day is clouded with symptomes and tokens of wrath and displeasure then it 's no wonder if God judicially throw stumbling-blocks in the way of this Generation in this day that they may not hearken to the voyce of his Son but stumble and fall and perish 4 The father having decreed to give the whole world to his Son Heathens for an inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession it must of necessity be that all the GREAT possessors of this earthen world will prove his enemies and the declaration of this Decree will set the world on fire fill it with a fiery fury The heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up 5 That this is no rebellious nor strange word but a doctrine becoming the Gospel and Gospel times to proclaime the War of the Lord against all the enemies of Christ it 's the mind of the father for this is part of the Decree which the Son hath engaged to declare Thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell 6 That this day is a day of great supplication and prayer ASKE of me saith God the father commands to aske upon such an encouraging account as that it provokes Christ and his followers to lye hard at the Throne of grace for the performance of the fathers Promises saith God ASKE and I will give ASKE or you cannot receive but ASKE and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession If God command to aske upon such an account how can it be but his people will obey with rejoycing filling the Heavens with their cryes And can we think Christ will not fill the Censor with these odours and offer them up upon the Altar as a sweet perfume to God his father and then what voyces what thunderings lightnings and Earth-quakes will this fire from the Altar fill the earth with These will fill the Vials of Gods wrath and send the Angels out of the Temple to poure them out upon the world 7 Here 's a direction for prayer in this day It 's the will of the father the prayers of the Saints should be chiefly and in the first place for the glory of Christ that he may have Heathens for an Inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession And for vengeance and ability to execute the wrath of God upon the world secondarily meerly as a means to accomplish the former by removing lets and hindrances out of the way Their heart in prayer to their father ought to run out chiefly for the glory of Christ and surely if the world would be converted and turne to God it would redound much to the honour of our Lord Jesus therefore Christ undertakes to declare the Decree tells them the whole sum of the matter with Exhortation to come in to him that they may be blessed with everlasting happinesse but if they will not hearken to this voyce of love then ASKE and thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell 8 In this day the Intercession of Christ and so the prayers of the Saints will be of very high concernment of dangerous consequence to the world and worldly powers They reach at no lesse then the Crowns and Scepters of the world that the whole world may become the Lord Christs Heathens for an Inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession As the Saints formerly prayed against the Heathens rage and the Kings open profanenesse in setting themselves against their Lord so they now pray as zealously against the Clandestine cunning Counsells of hypocriticall Apostate Rulers what though the men of the world and some deluded sincere hearts call it sin and grosse infirmity at the best leading to rebellion unwarrantable talking tending to nought but ruine it matters not they have the command of the great Jehovah for it ASKE of me saith he and I will give thee the Heathens ASKE of me and I will give thee the utmost parts of the earth ASKE of me and thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell ASKE these things of me pray for them and I will give them 9 That in this day the perverse opposition of the worlds Saint-like Rulers to the Lord and his anointed will prove such as will compell them to ask of their father AN IRON ROD such an iron rod wherewith they may breake their enemies and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell And if they ask it he hath promised he will give it and that in their hand it shall doe his appointed work and then woe to the world for how great will the Vintage of Gods wrath upon the world be in
that day 10 Such prayers are no way contrary to the will and mind of God nor unsuitable to a Gospel spirit in Gospel times for we see at this day wherein Christ is taking his Kingdome to set forth the Gospel in all its glory the Command is ASKE of me God will be askt for such things the giving of which ruines this old world and makes way for the new Heavens and new Earth ASKE of me the Heathens for an inheritance the Powers Crownes Scepters of the great men of the world and I will give them to thee ASKE of me the utmost parts of the earth for a possession the whole habitable earth for a place to display thy glory in and I will give it Pray unto me against the Rulers their Apostacy and wickednesses taking secret wylie Counsell combining in leagues and agreements together asosiating themselves with the Kings of the earth against the Lord and his anointed and that to break their bands and cast away their cords Cry aloud unto me against them and these their abominable practices and I will put the iron sword of my wrath and vengeance into thy hand and thou shalt break them with it and my spirit shall so assist thee by an Almighty operation as that there shall be as great ease and facillity without let or hinderance in doing this work of my just wrath and vengeance as there is in dashing a potters vessel against the ground 11 Here is great encouragement to the Saints and people of God to persist and grow valiant in the way of the truth of this truth Lift up your hearts cryes and groanes higher and higher to your God and father against the enemies of your Lord and for the glory and Kingdome of Christ for while you are so doing you are in your fathers way doing his Command ASKE of me saith he Againe you are in the way of the Promise if you aske God hath Promised he will give ASKE of me and I will give thee yea God stands here in a giving posture he waites but for a Petition and when it comes he answers it gratiously he bids you aske that he may give there 's a necessity you must aske saith God I have a gift in my hand worthy a God to bestow but you must aske it ere I can give it that is the order I have set downe to my selfe to walk by and I cannot it becomes not my wisedome to recede from it therefore ASKE of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession 12 That there will be in this day a reluctancy and backwardnesse in the people of God to the performance of this great duty this dispensation of the father layes upon them which may come to passe partly through the darknesse of this day the uncertainty and unclearnesse of things that they know not what to judge of them as hath been opened already and partly through that little betternesse in their condition now to what it was under the Government of the Kings through carnality of spirit being ready to sit downe there and partly through unbelief of heart every little hardship and difficulty they phansie to be in the way they look upon as impossibilities and the multiplying-glasse of unbeliefe makes them to seem such tall and mighty Sons of Anake as God cannot pull downe and overcome so that they are ready to cry out Let us make us a Captaine and returne to our Onyons and Garlicke and flesh-pots in Aegypt for it was better then with us than it is now If this were not so this Command ASKE of me were needlesse for otherwise they would be willing enough and forward enough of themselves their owne eternall happinesse and glory is so much concerned in it that it would be a motive strong enough and sufficient to draw them but here God is faine to call upon and command his people ASKE of me 13 The time of Gods giving an answer and returne to all the prayers of the Saints is now come God having filled his hand full of blessings he stands ready to open it and scatter them downe upon his people therefore saith he ASKE and I will give ASKE of me that I may give fill up the measure of your prayers that I may fill up the measure of my gifts I have seene saith God the hard measure you have met with from the world for my Sons sake how ungratefully and unworthily they have dealt with you trampling upon you as dung deriding you as the off-scouring and drosse of mankind but now come ASKE of me and I will give you the reward of all your labour of love a Crowne of glory for your Crowne of Thornes a Royall Exchange indeed O! how tender hath Christ by presenting to his open view the wounds he received the blood he shed and the sufferings he underwent made the heart of his father He can bear no longer he cannot stay till his people come and aske but calls upon them Come my Lambs ASKE of me and I will give ASKE that I may give you the Heathen for an inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for a possession He that commands to aske promises to give this is the time of giving here 's the time of receiving 14 The necessity and mighty force and power of the spirit of prayer saith God ASKE of me that I may give you must aske before I give and ASKE of me and I cannot deny you but I must give you Heathens for an inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession ASKE of me and I must help you and you hall breake your enemies with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell 15 What a usefull instrument hath God made Syon to be to his Son as Sion must become the hill of Gods holinesse before she can be a fit seat for Christ so before Christ can be exalted and honoured as King he must be seated on Sion he must be seated as a King there before he is in a fit posture to declare the Decree of his father his right and title to the world and as soone as he is settled there he is accomplisht at all points to encounter with the enemies of his Kingdome sends them a defiance a declaration of his right and title to their usurped possessions Sion is his Magazine out of which he fetches all his instruments of war and which he hath made of sufficient force to blow up and bring to ruine all the foundations of rebellion and opposition his enemies have laid against him 16 It 's worthy our taking notice of and of confiderable consequence for us to observe The way of our Lords proceedings in this day wherein he is harnessing himselfe for the battel it 's not the way and course of the politick inventions Machiavillian stratagems under-hand-workings and by the Maximes of State of this world but in a noble plaine heroick way
and his anointed shall have their due and their right And to CAST AWAY THEIR CORDS what though these cords be the most righteous holy and wholesome Lawes of the great Jehovah that will blesse those with the greatest happinesse that live in unfeigned obedience to them that the Lord and his anointed would impose on them for their owne good and salvation they will none of them but take counsell to cast them away scorning and deriding them as a burden too heavy for man to bear a yoke not fit for the neck of such a free Creature as man is Breake their bands and cast away their cords that they may have no power over them that they may be their subjects and not their Lords that they may not intrench upon their Dominion nor deprive them of their worldly enjoyments 6 THEN when they TAKE COVNCELL Before they proceed to act when upon consultation they are ready to goe forth in all their might crying LET VS breake their bands c. Then God will arise and shew himselfe he will not suffer them to act their counsels least they prevaile but while they are in counsell he will take them to task and let them find he can in wrath tumble them into those pits and snares they have digged for others 7 THEN when the Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed The order of the words in that the Holy Ghost brings in the Kings setting themselves and the Rulers taking counsell together before he tells us against whom seems to me to be of sufficient force to perswade us that here is a hint given us by the Holy Ghost of another confederacy that there shall be some agreement between the remaining Kings of the earth or at least some of them and these Rulers against the Lord and his anointed and then will God arise bear with them no longer but speak to them in his wrath Lastly THEN when their Counsells shall be guilty of such a degree of Apostacy as moves God to laugh at them when they set at naught the counsell and reproof of God which surely is contain'd in those bands and cords they reject then will God deale with them in that dreadfull manner mentioned Prov. 1.24 ult Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regardded But ye have set at nought all my counsell and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your feare cometh When your feare cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlewind when distresse and anguish cometh upon you Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not find me For that they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord they would none of my counsell they despised all my reproofe Therefore shall they eate of the fruit of their owne way and be filled with their owne devises for the turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fooles shall destroy them And when the abomination of their counsells come to that height that God shall have them in derision which is somewhat more then to laugh It may possibly be that a man may laugh at one and that in anger too whom he yet loves but to laugh with derision argues perfect hatred When their counsells and doings against the Lord thus provoke the eyes of his glory THEN shall be speake to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure And if we would know when God will thus laugh at them and have them in derision The answer is plaine in the Text he will doe it upon their taking counsel to break their bands asunder and to cast away their cords from them when the cry is Let us breake their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision Thus we see what a multitude of plaine Characters the Holy Ghost hath given of that time wherein God will come upon the world and doe such great things for his Son who he hath made Lord and set at his right hand and his anointed ones When we see these Characters written on the foreheads of the high ones of the earth then we may safely say without haesitation That God will suddenly come in wrath and fury take their Dominion away and give it to that rejected corner stone whose right it is to raigne Let us now make a stand and by a serious review see what may be observed as a beneficiall Lesson for us to learne 1 That in these latter dispensations men may fill up the measure of their iniquity and bring judgement upon their Generation by a bare taking counsell against the Lord and his anointed When the Rulers take counsell together then God will speake unto them in wrath 2 How Great matter of Comfort is it to the people of God the followers of the Lamb that their father is so far from suffering their enemies to prevaile against them in these last dayes that All that ever they can doe cannot prevaile to breake one band asunder that is so as to free themselves from it to settle themselves upon another foundation but while they are taking counsell together God comes and gives them the rout let 's them heare his mighty voyce in wrath that they run to the holes of the rock and cry to the mountaines and to the hills to hide them from the tempest of his fury He will take the crafty in their owne snares though they take counsell to draw the Lords people into their snares and to throw them into the pits they have digged yet shall they not be able to bring it to passe but they themselves shall be taken with and fall into them then the scourge shall teach them Nebuchadnezzar's lesson That the most high rules in the Kingdomes of men In former times his long-sufferance was much he lets them goe on to rage and madnesse to open and bold yea and prevalent acting setting themselves against them but now his patience will waite no longer he will deale with them before they are well warme in their counsells He will cut the worke short in righteousnesse because a short worke will the Lord make upon the earth those dayes shall be shortned for the Elect's sake 3 What a darke and distracting day is this day When such men as these Rulers have appear'd to be having followed the Lamb so far to the cutting off some of the Kings of the earth and proclaiming the Lord to be King made his cords his Lawes to become their bands binding themselves with them as hath been open'd at large when such men shall now turne head and deale subtilly with the Lord and his anointed taking counsell against them What a darke day of Apostacy is this day The Dragon is able to
cast downe a third part of the Stars to the earth and when the Stars fall from heaven what bitternesse will betide the Children of men Without question these Rulers by their malevolent influence will throw downe many who have been as shining lights to the losse of their glorious profession How great will be the distracting darknesse of this day When the cunning of these Counsellors working underboard not shewing openly their intentions shall amuse men that the most sharp-sighted observer can scarcely discerne the temper of the times so as to demonstrate the truth of his observation to the understanding of others for we must remember that Satan now is at his last game though men refuse to worship the Beast and to receive his mark yet if they keep but within the number of his name he will esteem them as his good subjects and be therewith content Here are Devils in the shape of Saints carrying things in such a posture as that almost all men are in a maze not knowing what to dream the issue of things will be surely this day may truly be called neither day nor night neither Satans night of darknesse nor Gods day of light in which men not having light enough to see clearly nor wisedome enough to light up their Candles goe poreing in the dark ready to stumble at every straw of infirmity they meet with in the sincere hearts of the times in the mean while hazard a choaking swallowing downe the Camels of State abominations yet notwithstanding all this God hath promised that at evening time it shall be light What a distracting day of division is this among Gods own people When some good soules exercising their charity shall consider the Rulers former good actions and plead them with their apprehensions of their present good intentions in what they doe to those who being of a quicker insight into the state of businesses shall discover and assert their Apostacies to perswade them into a favourable construction of their proceedings and when on the other side those who retaining their sincerity in the life of it being enlightened by the spirit of God in the worke of the day both as to the work God would have done and the counter-workings of the evill one shall cry out amaine against those abominations that God may not be without witnesse to the vindication of his honour which men would lay in the dust what inward fends and heart-burnings What breach of all Gospel rules will be the sad fruit of this dismall day Let none say these things are far fetcht and have no connexion with the Text if men will seriously with unbiassed judgements weight the ground-work I conceive they cannot but see these things a necessary deduction from the premises 4 The great faithfullnesse and love of God to his Son Jesus Christ his anointed one that although out of his long-suffering he bore long with men in their actings against his Son in the contest concerning his Priestly and Propheticall Office though then at his appointed time he met with them to their confusion yet when it comes to the matter of his Kingdome which the father is so strongly engaged to give him and wherein his honour and glory is so abundantly concerned THEN will he waite no longer but even while they are taking counsell while they are but thinking of it while they are consulting the wisest and most feasible way to bring to passe their purposes it so enrages the eyes of his glory to behold it that he will not suffer them to break so much as a piece of a band but he will make bare his arme and speak to them in wrath by the mighty working of his power The Lord will breake the staffe of the wicked and the Scepter of the Rulers 5 It 's worthy our observation That those who bring up the reare of the enemies of the Lord and his anointed are Counsellors Or if you will thus That the last and so the most subtill refined designe of Satan against the Lord and his anointed is managed by A COVNCILL They take counsell together such as having the example of all the feates of policy former times have brought forth and the advantage of that patterne of prudence and wisedome the old subtill Serpent hath been drawing from the beginning of the world to this day shall be so crafty and wylie as that God by that shall be engaged to rouse up himselfe in his might least they prevaile The Rulers of the world taking counsell become wise against the Lord and his anointed Their excesse in humane wisedome and policy engages God to shew forth the super-excellency of his Divine wisedome being above them in that wherein they deale proudly 6 Although the fins of these Rulers be not so grosly prophane as their predecessors but their thred is of a finer spin yet they are guilty of such aggravations as the Lord Jesus cannot brooke They provoke him him who is the onely Mediator for sinners that he will not speak one word to his father on their behalfe Though God come with fury in his face asking the reason of their doings why is it so and his wrath wax hot against them we see our Lord Jesus appears not pleads not a sillable for them we read not a word of his intercession in this place Formerly notwithstanding their sins were more grosse and far greater in themselves to the slaying the Lord of glory he prayes Father forgive them for they know not what they doe and the Martyrs as Stephen did could beg on behalfe of their murderers Lord lay not this sin to their charge But now men are become wise knowing sinners against his glory Hypocrites be hath not a word to speak for them all that he will doe is to declare the Decree I will declare the Decree to the world and them if they will hear well but if not they shall feele his wrath and perish from the way 7 That when the world and its Rulers come to this manner and measure of sin they are excluded the intercession of Christ he prayes not for them neither is it the fathers mind he should when God puts him upon asking it 's not any thing for them but their possessions and usurpations for himselfe and a rod of iron to punish and destroy them and so the prayers of the Saints We ought not to pray for them and for that for whom and for which Christ prayed not his intercession ought to be the patterne of our prayers otherwise our petitions are not acceptable for in his beloved he accepts us It hath been severall times at this passe with the world Pray not thou for this people neither lift up cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee God loves not to hear his people make such requests he hath no mind to grant Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind could not be towards this people cast them out of my sight and
against him and shall you prosper in your Apostacies and rebellions against him I would not bear with their superstition and shall I now connive at your hypocrisies Shall I suffer and permit you to keep the Kingdome from him and to interrupt the performance of my Promises No know I speak it to you in my wrath Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion 3 Because it will destroy all their Idols deprive them of all their dear enjoyments their powers with their pomp and glory to which their heart cleaves so close this sword of Christs mouth will smite them all their Idols of gold and their Idols of silver and their Idols of honour c. all these will it consume And their Kingdomes must become the Kg domes of the Lords Christ and all their Dominion and the greatnesse the glory of it shall be given to the Saints of the most high those whom they have trampled upon and to whom they have been so barbarously ungratefull These things trouble and vex these Rulers that they gnaw their tongues for anguish and paine And surely this is a day of great wrath indeed as when two Kings and both strong are striving for a Crowne it 's likely to be a day of great wrath a bloody day So this day for behold what a feast will God make on this day For the Fowles that flye in the midst of heaven the flesh of Kings the flesh of Captaines and mighty men the flesh of Horses and of them that sit on them the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great We may conclude from these things 1 It 's not unsuitable to a Gospel spirit to denounce the wrath of God against Rulers for their Apostacies and abhominable hypocrisies yea and to deale particularly with them laying the finger on the sore pointing out the Abominations by name denouncing the vengeance of God upon them For we see here how particularly God characteriseth these Rulers laying open all their abominations speaking to them in wrath And surely this also as the rest of the Scripture is written for our instruction 2 It 's no wonder that the Rulers of the world are troubled at and moved against the Gospel of the Kingdome for here God saith He will speak it to them in wrath and vex them with it in his sore displeasure 3 It 's not so much the infirmities of the Saints accompanying the delivery of their message to the world or any other circumstance about it that troubles and vexes the Rulers let them pretend what they will as the doctrine it selfe when it 's rightly asserted and thorowly opened as that which is at hand and ought to be submitted to without delay O! how doth it trouble and vex them to heare of the coming of King Jesus to depose them of their usurpations and take the Kingdome to himselfe If it troubled Herod and all Jerusalem with him when they heard of this Kings first coming meek and lowly how then think we will it not much more trouble the Kings and Rulers of the earth to hear of his second coming in power and the glory of his Sion It cannot be otherwise for God saith he will trouble and vex them with an I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion 4 When the Rulers come to this height of ungratefull wickednesse to take counsell against the Lord and his anointed to break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from them THEN is the time of Gdos wrath come to that Generation he will speake to them in wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure 5 That before such time as God enters into judgement with the rest of the Kings of the earth and that Whore mystery Babylon the great whom they uphold God Judges these Rulers he speaks to them in wrath to them in particular to them that Take counsell against the Lord and his anointed For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the Valley of Gibeon that he may doe his worke his strange worke and bring to passe his act his strange act Awake awake put on strength O arme of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes in the Generations of old 2 Here 's the work of Gods love and faithfulnesse to his Son in these words Yet have I set my King upon Sion the hill of my holinesse as it is in the margent of the Bible YET have I c. As if God had said Notwithstanding your taking counsell against him and his anointed and that you have so far proceeded managing your businesse so wisely to the very heighth and depth of wisedome as to make your selves formidable in your owne eyes thinking you have gotten strength and power sufficient to put your counsels in practice crying Let us breake their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us yet have I set my King upon Sion the hill of my holinesse Though you take counsell against him to make the way to his Kingdome as thorny difficult and perillous as you can though you be so ungratefull and unfaithfull to forsake and take counsell against him and his yet will not I be so to my beloved Son YET have I set my King upon Sion the hill of my holinesse Yet have I set MY KING Though these Rulers will not make him a King yet God will My King though they reject him would breake his bands and cast away his cords that he might not raigne over them yet God hath made him a King and given him a Kingdome He it is who must goe forth conquering and to conquer destroying all his enemies breaking them to pieces like a Potters vessel plucking up every plant that his father hath not planted throwing downe all those superstructures that are not of his owne building creating new Heavens and a new Earth A New Creation making it a suitable purchase to the unvaluable price of his blood clothing it with his glory that it may be a fit present for his father at the appointed time Yet have I set my King upon SION That is the Church of Christ by Sion is meant the Church throughout the whole Scripture that I suppose is granted by all therefore I need not enlarge upon it Yet have I set my King upon Sion the HILL of my holinesse Why a hill A hill is a place of great advantage on which if an Army be encamped it may be an impossible thing for the enemy to dislodge them So God here sets his King upon his Hill his Church a place of such advantage that God doth if I may so expresse it even vaunt it over these Rulers that he hath notwithstanding their oppositions policies stratagems and wisedome set his King upon his hill where he is a naile fastened in a sure place on which all the vessels may hang secure and safe such a place as his being fixt there frustrates all their designes undoes all their contrivements and
let them goe forth Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were in it they should deliver but their owne soules by their righteousnesse saith the Lord God And now it 's come into the same predicament againe the world hath run its round and is gotten into a like posture it was in when a flood of wrath overwhelmed it What a sad condition is this world now in It 's tottering and there 's none to underprop it it 's sinking and there 's none to uphold it The wrath of God is hovering over it ready to fall upon it and there 's none to plead to undertake for it Surely the world is beholding to the intercession of Christ for its standing and now that ceases the foundations thereof are out of course and it 's falling The day of the Lord is coming upon it as a Theef in the night wherein the Heavens shall flee away as a scrowle the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt up The second part of our work is To search into the worke to be done in this remarkable time Here is the work of the father and of the Son 1 The work of the father which is two-fold A worke of wrath to his enemies which is amplified by a double expression speaking in wrath and vexing them in his sore displeasure And secondly A work of love and faithfullnesse to his Son Then shall he speake unto them in his wrath God speaks to men in divers manners by the voyce of his providences the voyce of his mercies the voyce of his rod and the voyce of his judgements and when God speaks by all in wrath his providences blinding their eyes his mercies hardening their hearts his rod driving them from him and as the fruit of the former his judgements cease upon them here 's a dreadfull day of wrath indeed now God speaks to them in wrath But his hath speciall relation to the voyce of his ward for what doth he peak to them in wrath The Text tells us Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Syon the Gospel of the Kingdome And that must needs be a day of wrath and terrors indeed when that word which was wont to be a word of salvation a word of love and good will shall now be a word of wrath in wrath O sad God speaks his word in wrath to a people 1 When it hath contrary effects upon them a savour of death unto death instead of a savour of life unto life As in Isa 6.9 10 11 12. This Evangelicall Prophet Esay must make the hearts of this people fat their eares heavy and shut their eyes and that by speaking such gracious words unto them as he doth throughout his whole Prophesie Certainly this is none other but the wrath of God upon a wanton and backsliding people 2 When God layes stumbling-blocks before a people that they receive not nor hearken to the word but stumble and fall upon it and perish according to that in Jer. 6.21 Therefore thus saith the Lord behold I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them The neighbour and his friend shall perish This also is none other but the wrath of God upon a stubborne rebellious people They had said they would not heare and saith God let it be so they shall not heare he throwes stumbling-blocks in their way least they should follow the voyce of his word and he should blesse them Yet these stumbling-blocks are not such as in the least extenuate or lessen their iniquity by giving them good and right ground to plead a necessity for their doings but such as men make to themselves True God layes stumbling-blocks before them yet it's themselves that make those so to them they are not so to a sanctified heart he by the wing of faith can fly over them but to an earthy lump of clay whose eye is fixed upon no higher than a carnall and worldly glory As 1 Gods making use of obscure mean foolish instruments in the worlds eye to publish his word and Decree to the world He hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise the weake to confound those which are mighty and the base and despised things of the world and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence This hath been his course all along since the world began none must deliver his people from a devouring famine but a despised Joseph The Message of rebuke and threatning judgement to a Prince in Israel good old Ely must be sent by Samuel a weak Child unskilfull in the word of Prophesie And as if none of the Princes and Royall blood could be moulded after Gods owne heart he must take David from the sheepfold and make him a mean shepheard Governour over and a deliverer of his chosen people And who are his Heralds to proclaime the Gospel of the Kingdome but a company of poore despicable Fishermen He leaves the wise and learned Rabbies Scribes and holy Pharisees of the times and chooseth the fooles of the world makes them prevalent to pull downe Principalities powers and strong holds and they shall one day prevaile to the trampling their enemies under their feet as the mire in the streets Thus out of the mouths of Babes and sucklings he ordaining strength perfecting his praise the spirituall man can discerne the glory of it his heart will admire and adore it But the men of this world they take offence stumble and fall to the perishing of their soules What! will God forsake our wise and holy men that excell in most excellent virtues and speak by such Idiots rash fooles vainebablers and mad men as they are No they cannot they will not believe it If Peter and his brethren be filled with the holy Ghost they are drunken If Paul speak of the true God he is a vaine-babler and reason of Temperance and Judgement to come much learning hath made him mad This is the sence and judgement of the world 2 The infirmities of his Messengers their not walking up fully to their profession of the glorious Gospel nor so exactly as they ought by the line of the word of truth in their mouth Now the men of this world drawing the line of their judgement from a wrong point they think those mens Principles nought and hypocrittically rotten the word of truth in their mouth an errour a delusion a lye not remembring the best of men must have their graines of allowance Here they take offence stumble and fall rising up with their backs towards the truth This God permits in judgement and wrath to the world that they may stumble and fall and perish 3 The manner of delivering the word of truth in this day of wrath is a great stumbling-block to the world God speaks to them in wrath he was wont to speak in
snatch up the Crowne and set it on their head God overturnes some of them and these Apostate Rulers fasten the Crowne to their Temples but their comes a third overturning which is a thorough one indeed for saith God Remove the Diadem take off the Crowne this shall not be the same exalt him that is low and abase him that is high I will overturne overturne overturne it and it shall be no more untill he come whose right it is and I will give it him Where are these Rulers now there 's no hope for them for his Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome 2 That while these Apostate Rulers are taking counsell together against the Lord and his anointed the designe of God is then at that time to set his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse And he doth it in opposition to them though they contradict it YET I have done it saith God 3 That the first thing God doth for his Son after he hath made bare his arme and entred into judgement with the Antichristian world for surely he began that work when these Rulers cut downe some of the Kings of the earth and in opposition to these Rulers is to make him King in Sion in his Church Yet have I set my King VPON SION the hill of my holinesse He is set there in a posture fit for the carrying on the designe which he and his father are now managing in the world there is his Throne and his holy ones about him and there he will sit and together with them judge the world and poure downe his fathers wrath upon it 4 That Sion may be a fit seat for the Son to settle himselfe upon in opposition to all his enemies God makes Sion the hill of his holinesse The HILL of my holinesse a hill for strength and stability it 's unmoveable a hill for union all its parts are so united and compact together as none can divide it a hill for height The mountaine of the height of Israel it 's above the world reaches up to the Heavens And a hill of holinesse the King being seated upon this hill this metaphoricall hill becomes his Court and those in it his Courtiers they are clothed with the same clothing his Majesty is hâ—linâ—sse they are all like their Lord each one of them resembling the Children of a King holinesse to the Lord is written upon them And a hill of holines for they are consecrated separated and set apart for the work of Christ at this day sanctified for this service enabled to overcome all the assaults of the evill one and having done all to stand to keep their place and station a seat and Throne for Christ to be such Carpenters as shall fray away all the Hornes the spirit of the Hornes shall not enter into these Carpenters for God saith Sion is the hill of his holinesse 5 Although at this day many may fall away and loose their first love many prove foolish Virgins yet God hath his true Church his hill of true holinesse a fit seat for his Son his chosen number which he unites together and by the mighty working of his spirit they become the hill of his holinesse He sets his Son upon this hill and thence he issues forth the Decrees of his father about the concernments of his Kingdome notwithstanding the power and forces of his enemies against him 6 That under the Government of these Rulers the people of God have not liberty to come up to the height of Gods holinesse for when they come to be a hill of holinesse the world stands in opposition to them and they unto the world Christ is set upon the hill of Gods holinesse in opposition to the Rulers of the world If any then blame the followers of the Lamb as busie-bodies and rash spirits saying it 's otherwise with them now then it was under the Kings they may be as holy as they will and live in their fellowship with God and Christ in his owne Ordinances to the highest it 's a falsity for if they seek after the height of Gods holinesse to get to the top of this hill to enjoy the fullnesse of the Promises in Christ by following him fully according to the voyce of his spirit in his word in this day they are opposed by the Rulers and taken counsell against 7 We may here see what God expects from his Sion his Church that in this day when the Rulers and great men of the world reject Christ and take counsell against him and his that this his hill of holinesse should receive his Son and cleave so close to him espouse his righteous interest so unfeignedly and so zealously as that it may be a hill of advantage whereon Christ may sit as King in opposition to the Kings of the earth and in despite of these Rulers although the Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed when the Kings and the Rulers combine together to doe their utmost the one by an open perverse setting themselves the other by taking counsell pernicious secret counsell against him and his and at last shall conjoyne Forces openly setting themselves to act their counsells things at this passe God brings his Son to Sion his Church the hill of his holinesse he is totally excluded the world by the men of the world from having any share in their Royalties in these Rulers the father hath tryed the finest and purest piece of earth the world can shew and finding it false he brings his Son to Sion sets him there as in a safe place expecting they will submit their necks to his yoke and their shoulders to his burden and follow him in his goings forth against his enemies after what manner soever they be whithersoever he will lead them This indeed is the ready way to find out an everlasting rest to get a full possession of the promised Land to be blessed in heavenly places with him Lastly Behold the Lamb with his 144000 his chosen number standing upon Mount Sion having their fathers name written in their foreheads Sion is the hill of my holinesse saith God Here are the Armies of Heaven with the great Captaine of Salvation in the head of them in a posture fit ready prepared to execute the Decree Thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them to pieces like a potters vessell But before they enter upon this strange and wonderfull work being the will of their deare Captaine and leader they sing as it were a new song of praise unto God before the Throne and though it be a hard song that the world cannot learn and it sounds harshly in their eares seeming to them such a thing as never was before a new invention of the spirit of delusion yet these chosen holy ones they are acquainted with and expert in singing this song before the Throne of God Christ their Captaine begins and they follow on declaring the
like a piece of the truest valour that ever drew sword like himselfe sends forth his Heralds commands voluntary submission or else gives the challenge le ts them know there 's no way but death perishing from the way of blessednesse 17 That it's the greatest folly and madnesse for the Rulers and Judges of the world to oppose and fight against this praying people for they are not onely against them but the Father the Son and the spirit and all the Host of Heaven are against them As Elisha said They that be with us are more then they that be against us there 's a greater and a stronger power with them than the worldly Rulers can raise against them although they could bring up Hell it selfe from the deep to serve them 18 What a sad account will those be able to give who joyne and strike hands with these perverse Rulers in this day also those who have not heart nor courage to stand up for the Son against these Rulers and their wickednesses For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his owne glory and in his fathers and of the holy Angels What shame and confusion of face will cease upon them in that day If ever there was a time wherein Christ expects his friends should stand by him and plead for him it 's now in this day spoken of in the Text wherein the Rulers take such pernicious counsell against him and those that forsake him now he will not owne before his father for we see at the latter end of the Psalme those that kisse not the Son submit not to him and come under his yoke perish from the way of blessednesse they shall receive their portion with those that shall come at the last day crying Lord Lord open unto us and Christ shall professe he knoweth them not The third and last part of our work is To consider the manner how Christ manageth his work in this day and that is with much love and pitty to the soules of men exhorting them to a timely repentance promising blessednesse to all that hearken to him Although he hath separated his Sion from the world and made it the Hill of Gods Holinesse a fit seat for himselfe yet he cannot be contented to goe with a sword in one hand to execute his fathers Decree but he must have a Pardon in the other to bestow upon all those that will submit and come in unto him Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling Kisse the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him In these words we have 1 An Exhortation 2 Motives to provoke men to hearken to it In the Exhortation we have 1 The Persons exhorted and they are chiefly the Kings and Judges of the earth those very Kings that set themselves and those very Judges or Rulers that take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed But though the Exhortation be chiefly to the Kings and Judges yet not exclusive to others for we find in the last clause of the Psalme Blessednesse promised to all them that put their trust in the Son which ALL takes in more then the Kings and Rulers yea ALL men of what rank and condition soever that put their trust in him shall be blessed and it must of necessity follow the Exhortation is of as large an extent as that ALL for the Promise is brought in as a Motive to provoke to a hearty embracing of and hearkening to it 2 Here 's the matter of the Exhortation which is 1 To get a true and an exact knowledge of God and his wayes in this their day Which is held out unto us in two expressions WISEDOME and INSTRVCTION Be WISE now therefore O ye Kings O you prophane Kings that having a whores forehead and a face of brasse without shame and remorse have stood up and set your selves publickly wilfully with all your might against-me-without a cause to keep me from my rightfull inheritance and to prevent my entring my possessions the Copy-hold my father hath given me Be wise now THEREFORE wherefore why you have heard the Decree of my father the Justice and Equity of my right and Title to my Kingdome I have askt it and he hath given it me who hath right and power to give it he that made it hath given it to me And my father having set me on Sion the Hill of his Holinesse I am prepared to encounter you I will waite your leasure no longer therefore now be wise know consider what you have to doe if you resist and stand it out there 's no way but perishing and death but if you submit your selves unto and put your trust in me I will blesse you make you really happy here 's life and death set before you be wise now in your choyce that you may live and not dye Be wise with the wisedome of God wherein is life for why will ye dye You are Kings and it 's a hard lesson for you to be willing to part with your great possessions and become Beggars but learne it and you shall find wisedome it selfe in such seeming folly Whatsoever any man forsakes for my sake I will give it him againe in my Kingdome with great advantage saith Christ Be wise know and consider the great Jehovah my father and what he hath already done for me know and consider me also what I am to doe to and in the world as the will of my father in this day of his great wrath and fury Be INSTRVCTED ye Judges of the earth Ye Judges you that have set your selves above the rank and your feet on the neck of Kings that would be accounted repairers of the breaches and restorers of the paths to dwell in and yet take counsell against the Lord and his anointed to break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from you you Judges that carry it so underhand and secretly against me and mine while you seem to be for me pretending a kisse when you intend a blow under the fifth rib that you need not strike a second time Come you Judges be INSTRVCTED know the wickednesse and folly of your malicious wayes they will yield you nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit the best fruit they can present you with is torment for this Proverb shall be taken up against you The Lord hath broken the staffe of the wicked and the Scepter of the Rulers yea Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deepe and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the wrath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it ye Judges of the EARTH though you have set your selves in the highest forme and will
should seek it with teares they shall find no place for it they shall hear this voyce no more but another Depart from me yee workers of iniquity I know you not after this voyce ceases there remaines nothing but a fearfull looking for of Judgement Therefore it highly concernes the whole world with their Kings and Rulers to be cautious how they stop their eares against this wise Charmers charming surely if they doe what horrors what terrors what a massie weight of wrath of the Almighty God! what unexpressible misery will be our portion for ever How unconceivably unsufferably tormenting all our long day of eternity will the recounting over all those opportunities and especially this we have had to make our peace with the jealous God and to get Christ to be our friend by an easie submision to him upon his owne tearms be This will be no small Worme gnawing our consciences to all eternity 12 It 's worthy our Observation That notwithstanding those symptomes of wrath and displeasure that appear here and there throughout the Exhortation Yet our Lord will have it end full of grace and love with a Promise full of blessednesse Though this Exhortation be made in a day of wrath and accompanied with wrath yet at evening time it shall be light the close of this day shall be with a very clear Gospel demonstration of the good will of God unto the soules of men so that if they hearken not unto him now they shall for ever after hold their peace be left without the least excuse not have a piece of a word to say for themselves although the wrath of God break forth upon them perishing and destroying their soules with eternall death The great Correspondency this Interpretation holds with other Scriptures that have relation to our times Now it remaines that I should doe these two things 1 Shew that great correspondency this Scripture with the Interpretation given of it holdeth with other Propheticall Scriptures that have speciall relation to these last dayes 2 Give my opinion and judgement according to the light the father of lights hath given to me where abouts we in this our day are that we may consider and know our work God expects at our hands For the first This Psalme according to the following comparison is contemporary with the 14th of the Revelation Psalme 2. From Vers 6. to the end Revelation 14. From Vers 1. to Vers 8. YEt have I set mine anointed upon Sion the hill of my holinesse as the Margent hath it I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Aske of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thy inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessell ANd I looked and loe a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion and with an hundred forty-foure thousand having his fathers name written in their foreheads And I heard a voyce from heaven as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of a great thunder And I heard the voyce of Harpers harping with their Harps And they sung as it were a new song before the Throne and before the foure Beasts and the Elders and no man could learne that song but the one hundred forty-foure thousand which were redeemed from the earth these are they which were not defiled with women for they are Virgins These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth These were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb and in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God Be wise now therefore O yee Kings be instructed yee Judges of the earth serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling Kisse the Son least he be angry and yee perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People Saying with a loud voyce Feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the Sea and the fountaines of waters In the Psalme the Holy Ghost shewes us the spetiall and peculiar posture the Son of God shall stand in at that Time upon Sion the hill of Gods Holinesse with the work he will then doe in his Sion Declare the Decree to them In the Revelation the same Spirit tells us the particular qualifications of this hill of Holinesse on which the father hath set his Son with the work the one hundred forty-foure thousand being so qualified fall to among themselves after the example of their Lord they sing a new song Againe In the Psalme the spirit of God describes the Preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdome in a speciall and peculiar manner to the Kings and Rulers of the earth In the Revelation the Holy Ghost deciphers to us the Preaching of the same Gospel in relation to the whole world in generall The Exhortation to the Kings and Rulers and the Gospel Preached to them that dwell on the earth is one and the same These two Scriptures thus compared together are an exact Comment upon each other The Psalme closes with an Exhortation the preaching this Everlasting Gospel This 14th of the Revelation goes on she wes us the work the Son doth being seated on Syon having his 144000 about him after he hath declared his fathers Decree after the everlasting Gospel is preached he destroyes Babilon layes that proud and lofty one in the dust pronounces them cursed and subjects of his fathers eternall wrath that worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark in their forehead and hand blesses them according to the last clause in the Psalme that dye in the Lord Yea proceeds to shew us his compleating Acts his Reaping the harvest and Treading the Wine-presse of his fathers wrath Now if any should be desirous to know further of the Time when God will set his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse and when the Lamb will stand on Mount Sion with his 144000 about him I judge the father will doe that for his Son in that space of Time between the powring out of the third and fourth Vialls and the declaration of the Decree with the Exhortation annexed and the preaching the Everlasting Gospel will end if not before yet with the finishing Time of the fourth Viall My Reason is Because The declaration of the Decree with the Exhortation to the Kings and Judges of the earth is the product of the Sons being set on Sion as King and the preaching the Everlasting Gospel is the fruit of the Lambs standing on Mount Sion with his
144000 singing their new song now the end of all being to bring men to repentance exhorting them to turne to the true God worship him onely and submit to the Son that they may be blessed by him and this being a reall act in God intending the salvation of men it cannot be but all this must be done before the day of repentance and salvation is finishâ— and gone when the night cometh no man can worke and if so then it must of necessity be granted also that these things must be done before the fourth Viall is powered out for after that Viall is once gone forth there remaines no place for repentance the day of repentance and salvation is spent and gone for the Text expresly saith that men blasphemed the name of God and repented not to give him glory When the two Witnesses rise which we have good ground to believe will be at or before the powring out of the fourth Viall and execute some part of the wrath and judgements of God the day of repentance and salvation being not yet past over and gone it 's recorded Rev. 11.13 that the remnant of men left gave glory to the God of heaven a true and excellent fruit of true repentance but here the day of repentance and salvation being finisht and mens hearts hardened that is recorded also that men blasphemed and repented not to give him glory And in this 14th of the Revelation immediately upon the preaching of this Gospel Babilon Rome falls and suddenly upon the neck of that God by the mouth of an Angel pronounces them cursed without remedy that then worship the Beast and his Image and receive his marke and the Son of man followes with his sharp sickle reaps his harvest and gathers the Vine of the earth treads the wine-presse of the wrath of God What God may doe in a more than ordinary way with any particular soule I leave it but there 's no generall Time of repentance and salvation interveening these executions of the wrath of God when once the fourth Viall is powred out Not being able to answer these Reasons I am fully perswaded to believe the truth of this Assertion And whether Daniels little stone's smiting and the rise of the two Witnesses be not contemporary with Davids hill of Sion and John's Mount Sion Christ being seated on it whether all these Prophecies will not be fulfilled at one the same time yea whether they signifie not to us one and the same thing onely one one part of the work of God at that day another another part of it I leave to the serious consideration and narrow scrutiny of the godly wise at this day And let none be discouraged from believing these things because of the unlikelinesse of them to come to passe in our dayes for the flood of Gods wrath upon the old world was as unlikely to that worlds understanding to overflow when it did as these things can be to this and the Scripture saith the coming of the Son of man shall be like unto those dayes Againe the Scripture saith He shall come at midnight a time when men asleep least expect him And againe When they that dwell upon the earth shall be in the height of their mirth and jollity FVLL OF PEACE rejoycing and sending gifts one to another then the spirit of life from God enters into the two Witnesses and fills those rejoycing earthen soules with great feare brings an Earth-quake slayes a part of the world and affrights the remnant that are left extorting from them glory to the God of heaven Yet againe though the whorish woman Babylon may come to such prosperity as to say in her heart I sit a Queen and am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow her plagues shall come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord who judgeth her Let our hearts ponder these things and we shall tremble as the word of God for judgement is at the doore In the second place I am to give my judgement how far we are come at this day or rather how neare the great God in his providence is come to us at what part of this Psalme thus expounded we may lay our finger and say this is our state and condition this is the work God would have us to doe in this our day To doe this is a great work but to doe it with demonstration to convince the understandings of men and stop the mouth of the gain-sayer is a far greater work which I despaire to performe yet according to the measure of light the Lord hath given me I shall make an Essay towards a clear evidencing of the Truth I conceive We are come to the dawning of that day wherein God will in wrath to the worlds Rulers set his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse and the Lamb will stand on Mount Sion with his 144000 his chosen ones about him wherein the Son will declare the Decree and the 144000 will be singing their new song before the Throne of God according to the import of that Command of the father to his Son in this second Psalme ASKE OF ME And that the present Kings and Rulers of the world but especially the Rulers who are the head of this gathering together against the Lord and his anointed are those against whom the father will engage in this day of his wrath and jealousie for his Son speaking to them in wrath and vexing them in his sore displeasure even with this his setting his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse The Reasons for this my Assertion are 1 Because we are already gotten under if not towards the latter end of the third Viall to prove this that it may be as valid a reason to you as it is to me I intreat thee Courteous Reader let thine eyes accompanied with thy mind take a journey through Mr. Tillinghast's Treatise upon the Vialls where you will finde so much Reason and such strong Arguments for this assertion as I presume will be so satisfactory as it will not be expected I should say any thing more to the point And if so then upon my former proofe it appears the dawning of this day of blessednesse to the Saints and of wrath to the world with its Rulers hath ceazed upon us But 2 The first fruits of the qualifications of Gods hill of holinesse Christs 144000 the sprinklings of the spirit of that day the beginnings of Christs being received as King in Sion are to be found in the midst of a despised people among us in this our day Let us view over the Qualifications of Christs 144000 consider them and put on a paire of those excellent spectacles made of pure love and our dim eyes will not behold men like Trees but like the purchased inheritance of the Son qualified according to the Decree to such and such a work at such a time I say the first fruits the
impossible for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven for one whose heart is touched with and cleaves to the present evill world to be an inheriter of the world to come which God hath promised as a reward to the faithfull followers of the Lamb True in this day you must ask a world Heathens for an inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession but not this present world for your selves but another for the Son your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ yet for your comfort know you are not under an exclusion for you must ask a world for Christ as he is your head your King that from him you may receive according to the Decree of God what your portion is Of his fullnesse you may and shall receive grace for grace He that hath in this old world been faithfull over a few things which the Lord hath given him in charge shall in the new world to come be made Ruler over many things and enter into the joy of his Lord Mat. 25.21 And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life Mat. 19.29 But he that doth not by the exercise of a faithfull spirit make such a retreat out of the world shall perish in the ruines of this world If our spirits be right the counterpaine of the spirit of our Lord in this day our prayer to our God and father will be for the utter dissolution of this old world and the bringing forth the new Heavens and new Earth promised for the performance of those glorious and admirable Promises which the God and father of our Lord Jesus hath made concerning this matter Now if our hearts be not wholly taken off this present evill world that voyce Come out of her my people will seem to us as the speech of righteous Lot to his Sons in Law as the speech of one that mocketh and not hearkening to it we shall perish with the world at best if any such temper'd soule be saved it will be as by fire he will suffer great losse What advantage then can the enjoyment of this present evill world be unto us 3 Take not up your rest in any attainment though you may have taken many a step in following your Lord and gotten on high above the world and it may be the rest of your brethren yet take not up your rest there but keep on your pace endeavouring daily to mend it in following the Lamb be not contented nor satisfied with any thing below the sitting downe together with your Lord and Saviour at the right hand of glory in those Mansions of the fathers house which your Lord is gone before to prepare for you and hath promised to come againe to receive you that where he is you may be also Rest not untill you see your Lord the Son of man sit in the Throne of his glory and then shall you sit upon Thrones also Mat. 19.28 I say take not up your rest in any attainment otherwise you will be of the number of those first which shall be last in vers 30. Those that are lag now will get before you to your great regret of spirit and as in the next Chapter a part of those many which be called but not chosen to the work of the day and so you will run a great hazard of missing that glorious reward the gift of your Lord To raigne together with him 4 Remember this That in this day in the carrying on the work your Lord hath put into your hands there must be no guile found in your mouth you must be without fault before the Throne of God Your Lord expects you should exercise such sincerity of spirit in your following him in this work as that you be not defiled with any of that guile that hypocrifie and doublenesse of heart and tongue the worlds mouth hath alwayes been filled with In the matters of the Kingdome of your Lord and his out-goings against the world in this day you must be without guile and without fault so clear as that God sitting on his Judgement Throne may see no fault in you without fault before the Throne of God Let it be so and when your Lord comes you will hear his blessed voyce calling unto you Well done good and faithfull servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 5 Would you be such as God will teach knowledge and make knowne his mind to in such a day of wrath as this is Then it 's not my counsell but the Lords be weaned from the milke and drawne from the breasts Isa 28.9 Whom shall be teach knowledge and whom shall be make to understand doctrine or the stammeringe of lips as the margent hath it at this day them that are weaned from the milke and drawne from the breasts Be yee weaned from the milk of the worldly carnall professing Church be drawn from the breasts of her consolation and the Lord will teach you knowledge and make you to understand doctrine there shall not be a stammering of the lip in the things of God in this your day but the Lord will make you acquainted with it to the understanding of it Instead of her milk and her adulterous breasts he will give you the teachings of his good spirit making you intimately acquainted with his blessed everlasting Gospel Though he withdraw from the worldly professing Church that his word is but here a little and there a little among them as he formerly dealt with the carnall yet professing Church of Ephraim though his word hath been among them precept upon precept precept upon precept and line upon line line upon line but now it 's but here a little and there a little the Lord is gotten to the threshold off their house and is departing quite away from them I say notwithstanding this he will manifest himselfe to you if you be weaned from their milk and drawne from their breasts separate your selves from have nothing to doe with the worldly though professing Church he that hath made this Promise will performe it for he is faithfull let who can charge him in the least with the breach of any tittle of his word and promise 6 Be upon your watch that you let not slip the nick of time God gives you to and he expects you should doe your worke in The time when God expects you should receive his Son and exalt him among you as your King is then when he is rejected by the worlds refined Rulers and they enter into Associations Combinations against him to break his bands asunder and cast away his cords this is the time for you to stand up and declare for the Decree of God the father on the behalfe of your Lord and Saviour and the very nick of time which you are not upon your perill to let slip as you will answer before his father and your father is then when these wicked yet professing Rulers are going about to execute their abominable Counsells crying LET VS let us doe it break his bands and cast away his cords then it 's your work and duty to stand up and cleave to your King follow him whithersoever he will lead you I say slip not your time for it concernes you if you will not owne him now before the world you will run a desperate hazzard that he will not owne you before his father and then what misery and unhappinesse will betide you Let your owne enlightned consciences judge Lastly Beware of unbelief the mother of all evill and misery though you should get to the very borders of the land of Promise and the providence the voyce of God call you to encounter with your enemies to remove every let and obstruction in the way to your full possession yet unbelief is able to drive you back into the wildernesse againe if you take not great heed would you not returne to your wildernesse Companions the Bryars and the Brambles would you not have that mournfull ditty heard in your mouths againe Woe is me that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar then flee all unbelief that mortall enemy of your happinesse unbelief of the truths and mysteries of the Sons Kingdome is the Characteristicall sin of the times immediately before the coming of Christ When he comes shall he find faith on earth This interrogation is a strong affirmation of the truth of the negative He shall not find faith on earth The Son had in the preceding words asserted the faithfullnesse of God in the certainty of his avenging his Elect which cry day and night unto him yet saith he Neverthelesse when the Son of man cometh shall be find faith ou earth In that time when God is about to spread abroad his faithfullnesse in making bare his arme to answer all the cryes and prayers of his people to avenge them of their enemies yea even when the Son of man is a coming to make good the word of his blessed father Shall be find faith on earth That is He shall not find faith on earth Men will not believe that it 's the time of Gods performing his Promises the face of things appear so through the counter-working of the evill one the man of sin and his instruments to the meerly rationall eye that in this very time when the Son of man is coming to avenge the Elect of God which cry day and night unto him the men of the world become mockers saying Where is the Promise of his coming all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation And others that would be esteemed the better sort they cry out The time is not come The time is not come They believe not the word of the Kingdome Beware of this unbelief least you loose the comfort of this coming of the Son when other faces shine with the joyes of the Spirit yours be bedew'd with teares the sad fruit of this defiling unbeliefe THE END